Buying comics can be an expensive hobby. A lot of fans simply can’t afford everything they’re interested in, due to rising prices and the over-saturation of the market with superhero titles.
That’s why we’re here. Every week, the Multiversity staff is asked “What would you buy this week if you couldn’t go over $20?” and shares their reasons why, in order to help others who might have similar tastes make their own decisions in buying comics on a budget. Be sure to leave your own picks in the comments!
Kevin’s Picks:
“West Coast Avengers” #1 ($4.99)— Kelly Thompson’s work at Marvel has been some of the best comic book-ing I have read from the company recently and at this point I’ll follow her anywhere. Most of the characters on this team have had fun solo books in recent memory that have concluded and it’s cool that Marvel is giving them all a place to be still. Plus, Stefano Caselli became one of my favorite artists from their recently concluded “Invincible Iron Man” work. This is a no brainer.
“Action Comics” #1002 ($3.99)— Bendis and Superman, who’d have thunk we’d be here? This book is great, and Pat Gleason’s art on #1001 was the best Gleason I have seen in recent memory, which is saying something because he’s always really great. Bring it on, I need to know more about the Lois mystery!
“Amazing Spider-Man” #4 ($3.99)— Never thought I’d be here too, but I owe Nick Spencer an apology. This book is good. Could use a few less dad jokes, but it’s good. Ryan Ottley is an inspired Spidey artist, and this book may be all fan-service, but I’m a fan so…
“Detective Comics” #987 ($2.99)— Bryan Edward Hill and Miguel Mendonca end their “‘Tec” run this week and I’m ready for some Outsiders! I think Hill has done a great job bridging Tynion’s Bat-family centric run, and Mendonca and Philippe Briones have done some of their best work at DC here. Not excited for what comes after this with a James Robinson fill-in, but this fun ‘No Justice’ inspired interlude will stand out as a great installment of this book.
“Royal City” #14 ($3.99)— Bring on the tears, bring on the end.
Total: $19.95 – If you can spare some more money, “Mr. and Mrs. X” #2, “The Flash” #53 and “Wasted Space” #4 all drop this week as well!
Mark’s Picks:
“The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars,” Part 3 ($10.99)— This arc comes together beautifully, especially in its final pages. “The Legend of Korra” comics are off to a great start, and I can’t wait to see where they go next.
“Beasts of Burden: Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men” #1 ($3.99)— “Beasts of Burden” is back. “Beasts of Burden” is back. Boy, does it feel good to type that. No, Jill Thompson’s not on board this one (she’s busy with the next), but Benjamin Dewey proves himself more than up for the task. This isn’t about the central cast, but rather the Wise Dogs, so there’s a different feel to this series. It opens the world up. Apparently Evan Dorkin’s got more planned with Dewey in future too…
“Black Hammer: Age of Doom” #4 ($3.99)— I don’t want to ruin anything about this issue. You just need to read it. Man, this series just gets better and better.
“Royal City” #14 ($3.99)— I’m sorry to see this one end, but this is certainly the right ending for it.
Total: $22.96 – Yeah, I went a little over, but I couldn’t miss any of these books.
Kate’s Picks:
“Cold Spots” #1 ($3.99)— Cullen Bunn is one of the comics kings of horror, and this series looks to plunge the depths of several kinds of horror — the tangible (for lack of a better term) supernatural horrors and the horrors of family estrangement.
“Royal City” #14 ($3.99)— We knew the end was coming, and while I am wistful to reach the conclusion of Jeff Lemire’s Pike family saga, I’m hoping everyone finds some sort of closure from the ghosts of their past.
Continued below“Black Hammer: Age of Doom” #4 ($3.99)— I just caught up on this series last week, and it’s delightfully trippy, making some of Salvador Dali’s most Surrealist paintings look tame by comparison. What will Lucy bring back from Dreamland, and how will she be affected by the experience?
“West Coast Avengers” #1 ($4.99)— All you need to know is three words: Gwenpool. Is. Back!
Total: $16.96
Nick’s Picks:
“Rasl – Book One: The Drift,” color edition ($9.99)— I tried the first two issues of this book when it came out because I loved Bone, but I was too young to really connect. Excited to read it now — and in a colored version which even modern master Smith himself thinks is better than the original!
“Royal City” #14 ($3.99)— Sad to see you go, but happy it’s where the story naturally wanted to end. Pour one out for the Pikes.
“Justice League Dark” #2 ($3.99)— Tynion and Martinez keep working their magic (sorry) on the mystical side of the DCU. More please.
Total: $17.97.
Ken’s Pick:
“Fantastic Four” by Jonathan Hickman – Complete Collection, Vol. 1 ($34.99)— Okay, yes, a bit over the budget, but trust me when I say that it’s worth it. Jonathan Hickman has done a variety of work during his tenure at Marvel, but his Fantastic Four work is probably his best work. Mostly because it flies in the face of every critic that says he can’t write emotive characters. This is perhaps the best modern run on the property and stands up with all the classics.
Total: $34.99
